Isle of Man

Impact on Community

This part of the website contains information relating the activities of the Isle of Man U3A concerning our impact on the community and community events.

Independent Health and Social Care ReviewUpdate - 1st March 2019 - Two members represented the U3A at a meeting with Sir Jonathan Michael for some of the Third Sector Groups involved in the review. There wasn't anything radically different raised, and Sir Jonathan confirmed that the most frequently raised issues would be dealt with in his full report. It was interesting to note that the Progress Report was now in the public domain on the Tynwald website, although not much publicised. After a bit of a struggle we found it, and you can view it by clicking on the top link at the right hand side of this page.

Most of you will be aware of the Review which is being carried out by Sir Jonathan Michael into the future of the Island's Health and Social Care services in terms of a Tynwald resolution earlier this year. Sir Jonathan is seeking the views of individuals and organisations in order to understand the current position and the challenges which lie ahead.
Sir Jonathan will be meeting with representatives of third sector organisations and groups, and our U3A is hoping to send representatives to one of the meetings that have been arranged by the Isle of Man Council of Voluntary Organisations this month.The U3A has already submitted a written response for the Review, and to view this - please click on the link at the right hand side of this page.

Art Exhibition at Glen Maye Chapel

Once again, the DIY Art Group staged their small exhibition in the Glen May Chapel along with the floral display for the 2018 Isle of man Flower Festival. There was a variety of subject matter, ranging from wildlife, floral to quirky caricature. Well done to Midge and her talented group members.

The National Health & Care Service Charter

On the 11 September 2017, on behalf of the U3A Isle of Man, an email was submitted to the Isle of Man Department of Health & Social Care in response to the National Health and Care Service Charter.

The email expressed an objection to the use of ‘customer’ to indicate a user of health or care service. It was felt that this terminology moved the emphasis from a health model to a business model.

We received a response from the Department on 13 September 2017 advising that all comments would be reviewed and appropriate adjustments, together with the Department’s responses, would be published at the end of the consultation.

The Silver Line

The Silver Line is the only free, national, confidential helpline open 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year, offering information, friendship and advice to older people.

After several pilot schemes were run in 2012 - including one in the Isle of Man - Dame Esther Rantzen founded the service, which launched nationally in 2013. It has received over one million calls to the helpline since the charity's launch.

It currently gets around 10,000 calls a week - and this number has been steadily growing.

Over two-thirds of calls to the helpline - around 700,000 - were made overnight or at weekends when no other helpline is available for older people who may be lonely, isolated or confused.

The Silver Line relies entirely on donations and there is no cost to the older person, or to volunteers, for any of their services.

Everyone who rings the helpline will be offered the opportunity of having a weekly half hour telephone call from their Telephone Volunteers or, if they prefer, a Silver Letters Volunteer who will write to them twice per month. For further information go to The Silver Line website.